Xue Yang/History
Youth Xue Yang grew up on the streets, without parents or money. He adored sweets but could rarely eat them. Novel, Chapter 40 When he was seven, he encountered Chang Cian, the leader of Yueyang Chang Sect. Chang Cian promised Xue Yang plate of pastries if he delivered a letter for him, and Xue Yang happily agreed. Novel, Chapter 40 Unfortunately, the letter was a taunt to a brawny man with whom Chang Cian had a conflict. The brawny man beat Xue Yang and dragged him by his hair back to the shop where he had seen Chang Cian. Novel, Chapter 40 Of course, Chang Cian was gone, and there were no pastries for Xue Yang. Eventually, a waiter threw him out of the shop, and Xue Yang happened to run into Chang Cian. When Xue Yang clung to his leg and asked for the pastries he was promised, Chang Cian kicked him away. Novel, Chapter 41 Distressed, Xue Yang ran after Chang Cian's ox cart, even jumping in front of it to force him to stop. Out of patience, Chang Cian took the driver's whip and struck Xue Yang before running the wheel of the ox cart over the child's hand, crushing his bones and reducing his little finger to battered flesh. Novel, Chapter 41 In his later youth, Xue Yang became infamous for his delinquency in Kuizhou. Novel, Chapter 49 Demonic Cultivation with Lanling Jin Sect Jin Guangyao recommended Xue Yang to his father, Jin Guangshan, as a possible demonic cultivator. Xue Yang was the only recruit to show talent in the demonic arts, and he spent much of his time experimenting at a training area not far from Carp Tower. Novel, Chapter 118 While experimenting on Fierce Corpses, Xue Yang showed his love for the macabre as he tried to serve Jin Guangyao tongue-infused tea. Novel, Chapter 118 Xue Yang participated in the extermination of the Tingshan He Sect, which had been framed for conspiring to assassinate Jin Guangshan after opposing his appointment as chief cultivator. When the leader of Tingshan He Sect, He Su, insulted Jin Guangyao as the son of a prostitute, Xue Yang retaliated by removing his tongue before tossing him alive into the cages of fierce corpses, while He Su's younger brothers and sisters screamed in horror. Novel, Chapter 118 That same day, Xue Yang accompanied Jin Guangyao to a brothel to collect Jin Guangshan. After hearing Jin Guangshan tell a prostitute why he did not redeem Jin Guangyao's mother Meng Shi, Jin Guangyao asks Xue Yang for a favor – to burn down the brothel he grew up in. Novel, Chapter 118Novel, Chapter 105 When Xue Yang vandalized a vendor's cart for a second time that day, Song Lan intervened. Though he was disturbed by Xue Yang's savage style, Song Lan was pacified by Jin Guangyao and Xiao Xingchen's excuse of youth. Novel, Chapter 118 Once Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen departed, Xue Yang declared that he despised both of them because he felt they looked down on him. Jin Guangyao warned him not to cross them again. Novel, Chapter 118 Massacre of Yueyang Chang Sect After Xue Yang managed to recreate the other half of the Stygian Tiger Seal, he most likely chose to test it on Yueyang Chang Sect in revenge for Chang Cian's cruelty as a child, even though Chang Cian was no longer living. Novel, Chapter 30Novel, Chapter 41 Xue Yang destroyed the sect's protective array to allow a group of powerful evil spirits inside. He left little evidence, and the only survivors of Yueyang Chang Sect were those who had been away night-hunting, including their leader Chang Ping, the son of Chang Cian. Novel, Chapter 30 Initial Imprisonment Xiao Xingchen chased Xue Yang over three provinces before apprehending him for the massacre of Yueyang Chang Sect. Xue Yang was brought before a Discussion Conference at Carp Tower. After presenting a straightforward list of evidence, Xiao Xingchen demanded severe punishment. Novel, Chapter 30 Though all of the other sects agreed, the Lanling Jin Sect was determined to protect Xue Yang due to his useful skills in demonic cultivation. As the stalemate continued, Nie Mingjue appeared and unsheathed his saber on the spot with the intention of killing Xue Yang. When Jin Guangyao attempted to ease the situation, he ordered the latter to leave. Novel, Chapter 30 In the end, the Lanling Jin Sect gave in, locking away the still-smiling Xue Yang. Before he was taken away, Xue Yang spoke affectionately to Xiao Xingchen: "Daozhang, you wouldn't forget me, would you? Let's wait and see." Novel, Chapter 30 Although the Lanling Jin Sect promised to execute Xue Yang, when Nie Mingjue left, Jin Guangshan commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. Shortly afterward, Nie Mingjue conveniently passed away. Novel, Chapter 30Novel, Chapter 49 Release and Revenge The powerful Lanling Jin Sect began to pressure Chang Ping to recant his words against Xue Yang. Fearing for the survival of the weakened Yueyang Chang Sect, Chang Ping eventually agreed to announce that the massacre had nothing to do with Xue Yang. Novel, Chapter 30 Xue Yang was freed, and he immediately set out to gain revenge on Xiao Xingchen by targeting his close friend Song Lan. Xue Yang blinded Song Lan and massacred the temple he was raised in, Baixue Temple. As a result, Xiao Xingchen gave up his own eyes to restore Song Lan's sight. Novel, Chapter 30 Xue Yang later assisted Jin Guangyao in his plot to murder Jin Guangshan. Novel, Chapter 84 However, when Jin Guangyao succeeded his father, he announced to the cultivation world that he would execute Xue Yang. Novel, Chapter 30 Yi City Xue Yang had fallen by the side of a road, near death from his injuries, when A-Qing and the blind Xiao Xingchen discovered him. Xiao Xingchen did not realize who the man he rescued was, and upon waking, Xue Yang disguised his voice to avoid being recognized. Novel, Chapter 39 Initially, Xue Yang took his life with A-Qing and Xiao Xingchen as another opportunity for revenge. He discovered that Xiao Xingchen's sword Shuanghua could not distinguish between fierce corpses and living people poisoned with Corpse Powder, so long as the living people's tongues were cut out. He thus tricked Xiao Xingchen into slaughtering innocent villagers. Novel, Chapter 39Novel, Chapter 41 Over time, however, Xue Yang transitioned into a more peaceful life. Though he and A-Qing were initially at odds, they reached a truce after Xue Yang bought vegetables for their household after vendors took advantage of Xiao Xingchen and A-Qing's blindness. Xiao Xingchen even bought candy for both Xue Yang and A-Qing. Novel, Chapter 40 Their peace shattered when Song Lan arrived and recognized Xue Yang. He engaged Xue Yang in a sword fight. While Song Lan was a superior swordsman, Xue Yang gained advantage by informing Song Lan that he had tricked Xiao Xingchen into committing murder and reminding him that he's the one who drove Xiao Xingchen away. He seized the opportunity to cut out Song Lan's tongue and douse him with corpse poisoning powder. Novel, Chapter 40 Xiao Xingchen then arrived on the scene, led by Shuanghua. He again mistook Song Lan for a fierce corpse, and unknowingly killed his best friend. Novel, Chapter 40 A-Qing had witnessed everything, and promptly informed Xiao Xingchen that the man living with them was Xue Yang. Xiao Xingchen told her to run while he confronted Xue Yang. Novel, Chapter 41 Xue Yang declared that it was fun to trick Xiao Xingchen, but showed no killing intent, not even when Xiao Xingchen stabbed him with Shuanghua. He only became murderous when Xiao Xingchen called him "disgusting," upon which Xue Yang told him exactly how he had been tricked into killing civilians. Novel, Chapter 41 Xue Yang then summoned Song Lan as a conscious fierce corpse to protect him. When Xiao Xingchen realized he had killed his best friend, he committed suicide in despair. Novel, Chapter 41 Xue Yang was grieved at Xiao Xingchen's suicide and attempted to raise him as a fierce corpse. However, his efforts were in vain, as Xiao Xingchen's soul had shattered. Once he realized this, Xue Yang collected the remains of Xiao Xingchen's soul in a Spirit-Trapping Bag in the hopes that someone could repair it. Novel, Chapter 41 He also kept Xiao Xingchen's body well-preserved and clean for years. Novel, Chapter 38 Xue Yang then sought A-Qing to silence her. Before killing her, he cut out her tongue and blinded her. Novel, Chapter 41 Revenge on Chang Ping Xue Yang disguised himself as Xiao Xingchen to kill the survivors of the Yueyang Chang Sect, including Chang Ping, via lingchi. Novel, Chapter 29 Wei Wuxian speculated that he had done so to punish Chang Ping for abandoning Xiao Xingchen. Novel, Chapter 42 Death The ghost of A-Qing Novel, Chapter 36 lured Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to Yi City at the same time Nie Huaisang lured the junior disciples. Novel, Chapter 109 Xue Yang disguised himself as Xiao Xingchen and forced Song Lan to fight against the juniors, but his ruse failed when Lan Sizhui used Inquiry to speak to Song Lan's spirit. Novel, Chapter 37 Once they were alone, Xue Yang revealed that he recognized Wei Wuxian in Mo Xuanyu's body. He demanded that Wei Wuxian restore Xiao Xingchen's soul, but Wei Wuxian refused, upon which Xue Yang declared his intent to kidnap Wei Wuxian if necessary. Novel, Chapter 37 Lan Wangji returned to engage Xue Yang in a fight, during which Wei Wuxian used Empathy to learn what A-Qing's ghost knew. Novel, Chapter 38 A-Qing then used her bamboo pole to aid Lan Wangji's fight in the thick fog, until Xue Yang used Jiangzai to shatter her spirit as well. Novel, Chapter 42 Lan Wangji severed Xue Yang's arm, but right before Xue Yang bled to death, Su She used a Transportation Talisman to whisk Xue Yang away. Presumably, Su She and Jin Guangyao wished to recover Xue Yang's version of the Stygian Tiger Seal. Novel, Chapter 42 When Wei Wuxian examined Xue Yang's severed arm, he realized that Xue Yang had been clutching the last piece of candy Xiao Xingchen had given him, even though it had long since rotted. Novel, Chapter 42 Web Series Divergence In the Web Series, Xue Yang learns demonic cultivation from the Qishan Wen Sect, not the Lanling Jin Sect. Web Series, Episode 3 After stealing the Yin metal to massacre the Chang Sect, he is captured and taken to the Unclean Realm before being freed by either a Nie commander or Jin Guangyao. Web Series, Episode 10Web Series, Episode 41 References